Would you like to know how to make the best taco meat? Making the perfect taco is impossible without the star of the show. The meat you use is crucial to making a taco that leaves you wanting more.

There are many types of taco meat that you can choose from, however we have found that ground beef is the best. this recipe is quick to make and uses commonly found spices. Why settle for store bought seasoning packets, when you can make your own from scratch in the same amount of time.

Combined with the best taco shell recipe, these tacos will indeed make the ultimate taco that will leave your friends and family raving.

Some common questions related to making taco meat are answered below.

How much taco meat per person?

The amount of taco meat per person varies by how big of a shell you are using and how many other ingredients you will use in an individual taco. Typically you want to add 1/4 cup of taco meat per taco. This will allow you to add more ingredients such as lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes to your taco.

What to do with leftover taco meat?

This is an awesome question, that deserves an equally awesome answer. You can do whatever you’d like with the leftover taco meat. Ideally you would store it in a refrigerator to consume leftover tacos later. But you can also add leftover taco meat to another fist. Try making a rice bowl with all of the taco ingredients minus the shell. Try stuffed bell peppers, where the meat is already prepared and just needs to be added to a rice mixture and then stuffed into the bell pepper. the possibilities are endless.

And now on the part where you have been waiting for, the taco meat recipe!

Ingredients

  • 22 oz Ground Beef (we use 85%/15%)
  • ½ cup water
  • Cooking oil (enough to oil pan)
  • 3 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 3 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • Dash of cayenne pepper (Optional)

Prep:

  • Heat oil to medium heat in pan
    • If you are using a stainless steel pan for the first time, check out this post for tips.
  • Combine Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Sea Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Dried Oregano, Cayenne Pepper (Optional), and water.
  • Mix until homogenized.

Cooking:

  • Add the ground beef to your hot pan.
  • While the beef is browning, break up ground beef into large pieces with a wooden spoon.
  • Do not touch and let sit for a few minutes.
  • As the beef begins to brown stir to prevent burning and continue breaking the beef into smaller pieces.
  • When the beef is brown and broken down stir in seasoning and water mixture.
  • Bring mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add to warm taco shells.
  • Enjoy!